Written by: Chandler Strickland
Edits by: Pierce Young
Traditionally, the dormant season has been the most common time for prescribed burns in Mississippi. Dormant-season burns serve important purposes, including fuel reduction, first time burns after a timber thinning, more ideal upland hardwood conditions, and preparation for spring growth. However, effective land management requires identifying specific goals for your property—or even for individual stands—before deciding when to burn. Fire is not a one-size-fits-all tool, and expanding its use into the growing season can provide unique ecological benefits.
Growing-season burns, conducted while vegetation is actively growing, offer several advantages that differ from dormant-season fires. They can suppress undesirable vegetation, stimulate beneficial plant communities, and enhance habitat diversity. For wildlife managers, using fire in both dormant and growing seasons is one of the most powerful tools available for improving habitat quality and meeting management objectives.
Benefits of Burning During the Growing Season
Allows for More Annual Burn Days
One practical advantage of growing-season burns is that they expand the window of opportunity for conducting prescribed fires. Weather conditions favorable for dormant-season burns—cooler temperatures, low humidity, and low wind—can be limited to certain months. Burning during the growing season allows land managers to safely conduct fires outside the narrow dormant window, increasing the number of burn days per year and providing greater flexibility to meet management objectives.
Promotes Forb Growth
Research has shown that growing-season burns stimulate the growth of a wide variety of forb species, many of which are highly valuable to wildlife. Forbs provide critical forage for white-tailed deer, nesting and brood-rearing cover for wild turkey and bobwhite quail, and important nutrition for pollinators and other beneficial insects. Studies from the Southeastern U.S. indicate that mid- to late-growing-season burns can increase forb species richness and abundance by 30–50% compared to areas left unburned or burned in the dormant season. Forbs often respond rapidly to fire, improving habitat quality during key periods for reproduction and growth.
Increases Plant and Habitat Diversity
Burning during the growing season disrupts the seedbed while plants are actively growing, creating opportunities for a wider array of species to establish. This disturbance fosters a polyculture vegetation response, resulting in a more diverse plant community. Research demonstrates that growing-season fire can maintain high plant species richness, which translates directly into greater habitat complexity for wildlife. A diverse plant community provides varied food sources, cover, and structural layers, supporting species throughout the year and enhancing overall ecosystem resilience.
Suppresses Woody Vegetation
Dormant-season burns often favor woody plant growth by reducing competition but may not effectively damage stems. In contrast, growing-season burns are more effective at controlling young woody brush and saplings, because actively growing plants are physiologically stressed and more susceptible to fire damage. Studies show that repeated growing-season burns can significantly reduce hardwood encroachment in pine and grassland habitats, helping maintain open conditions preferred by many wildlife species. In areas where woody encroachment is advanced, fire may need to be combined with mechanical treatments or herbicide applications for maximum effectiveness.
Reduces Risk of Fire Escape
Although fire behavior can vary, growing-season vegetation often contains higher moisture levels than dormant-season fuels. When burns are conducted under appropriate weather conditions and with proper planning, this can reduce fire intensity and lower the risk of escape. Properly executed growing-season burns allow managers to safely achieve habitat objectives while maintaining control over fire behavior.
Integrating Growing- and Dormant-Season Burns
For most properties, a combination of dormant- and growing-season burns produces the best results. Using fire across multiple seasons enhances habitat complexity, improves plant diversity, and creates a more resilient landscape for wildlife. Strategic integration of growing-season burns allows landowners and managers to:
- Maintain open habitats for grassland and early-successional species.
- Stimulate preferred forage for deer, turkey, quail, and pollinators.
- Control woody encroachment before it dominates key habitats.
- Increase long-term ecological stability and productivity.
By tailoring the timing of prescribed burns to specific management goals, landowners can maximize the ecological and wildlife benefits of fire while maintaining safe, effective control.
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